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Rumors of a yachting reality TV show have been put to bed as it appears that a network has hired a casting company out of Los Angeles, California, to search for the perfect crewmembers to fill the vessel for the show Below Deck. The casting agent maintains that they are looking to hire six crewmembers — a captain, a mate, an engineer, a chef, a stewardess and a deckhand — to work on board a yacht between 100 and 150 feet in length. The show will run on a cable network whose audience is, "affluent, and more of an upscale, disposable income type of audience," according to the company hired to cast the show.

The casting breakdown is as follows:"Below Deck is the first reality show to follow the incredible upstairs-downstairs action of the yachting world. Each episode will take the viewers inside the fabulous world that few have ever seen — onboard the biggest and most beautiful yachts in the world. Below Deck will star the attractive, dynamic individuals who work onboard, live at sea and serve the mega-rich owners their foie gras.The Yachties:

Below Deck will be crewing up for the following paid positions to set sail for six weeks during September and October.

CAPTAIN MATE CHEF STEW ENGINEER DECK HAND

Casting Directors will be holding auditions via SKYPE."

After all of the debate on this issue, it seems that the final push has been made and the likes of a reality crew will be gracing our televisions in the near future. But questions remain: will you participate? How will the crew who do participate be treated after the fact? Is this a help or hindrance to our industry? And…will you watch?

Its not a rumor you are propposing it.
I WOULD LOVE TO SE IT HAPPEN. lets se whoo are the brave boys and Gals that show up for the casting, then for sure they will never get a job in the yachting world. and if they doo then don´t moan the following month to the crew confessor, keep yachting real. its full of bad, good and different, but keep it yachting.

They are looking for the following :
1. A drama queen that always cries
2. A Minority
3. A confrontational meathead
4. A Gay
5. A Hot chick with a perscription drug problem
6. A Pompous Douche bag Know-it-All Captain
There is your crew !

This is the worst idea ever. Any crew willing to respond and try to fill the positions needed has ruined their career. All reality shows are rigged and the only one who is going to win is the producers of the show. It's going to make us all look like fools and owners are going to shy away from yachting because of it. Don't participate and don't endorse this project. Our industry is one of discretion and we need to keep it that way. Not to mention that we as and industry will become the front page and what will happen to the jobs then? People will flock to yachts and wages will drop. Worst idea ever!

I think this is one of those better ideas than "realities". Not only do I believe it will be harmful to the industry, Owners, and crew (all crew, never mind the poor individuals who sign up); but I suspect it will end up anti-climatic, to boot.

It;s going to make great TV, but it'll be awful for the industry. It's just going to swamp the docks with even more deluded unqualified teens looking begging for work. It could also (as mentioned above) give owners (if they even bother to watch) the wrong impression on what happens away from their seemingly eagle eyed view!

I think this show will be horrible to watch because, quite frankly, life on board is not that interesting to an outside perspective 99% of the time, especially on charter!Stews - beds, heads and laundry...beds, heads and laundry...beds, heads and laundry...Chef - breakfast, crew lunch, owners new diet, crew dinner, owners new NEW diet...Deckies - clean, polish, scrub....clean, polish, scrub....clean, polish, scrub....

They will have to dramatise this so much that it will completely skew the image of life on board and probably come across as cartoonish. They will be banking on crew conflict and sexual tension which any overworked crew is always too tired to provide so it's just going to be horrible. The crew will just be using this as a personal launching pad and will do anything to maximise screen time. But luckily I think it'll flop without bringing that much attention to yachting anyway. I mean, that steaming pile of movie "Fools Gold" didn't have any flow on effect so I don't think this will either

Having personally been involved as cast on one reality TV show years ago, I also believe this to be a bad idea. TV has to be gripping in order for people to want to watch and our show put clashing personalities together to form the 'drama' which led to one girl in therapy afterwards. The overall feeling after the show, as they tried to portray each 'character' as someone they weren't, was of resentment and frustration. Even the TV crew were frustrated.

As yachting is such a delicate industry, we have to help preserve it. We live in tight quarters and learn to get along well or get off the boat in search of a better match. Yes, there can be some unintentional drama, but as others mentioned, this will be skewed in an unrealistic way to make for 'good' TV. Personally I consider this garbage as it's absolutely NOT reality.

Also agree - the crew cast will be outcast from the yachting community based on their behavior on the show - be warned!

Five Star Crew does not support the directors efforts from this show, or the other one looking for crew.

Hamish Hollingsworth NO YOU DON'T!
Our industry is one of discretion and we need to keep it that way!!!! He who takes on this roll will NEVER BE HIRED BY ME OR TALKED TOO!
THIS IS SERIOUSLY GOING TO F**K CREW AND OWNERS OFF BIG TIME!!! I WILL TRY MY BEST TO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.
AND NOR SHOULD THE REST OF US LET THIS GO AHEAD

Whilst there must be many people out there attracted to having their moment of fame, I can not seriously imagine any professionally minded Captain who would even consider joining an unknown yacht (condition and safety wise) and accept an totally unknown crew (none chosen by him, and no doubt chosen solely for the reasons stated by previous posters).
The ad reads for the filming to be for a short period and with guests on-board for the whole time! So, the Captain will be expected to go straight into full on charter mode, will so many unknowns.
To add to the drama, no doubt scenarios will be introduced that would be difficult to address in a filmed show, imagine having rules broken (20 guest when cruising) difficult situations like guests groping the crew, all filmed and made public, crew arguing with Captain and refusing to do drills, etc etc.
No, I do not believe ANY serious or professional Captain, would ever accept a job like this, if they value their sanity or their future prospects.
The whole confidentiality issue would also prevent that happening, it is so ingrained into career yachties, so, unfortunately, if it does happen, the industry will be so misrepresented, and we will spend the next few years explaining to our terrified families that, NO, that is not how it really is.
The future new potential charterers will assume that bad behavior is acceptable from guests.
Owners will be be outraged, the list goes on and on.
Terrible idea.

No, don't do it! The yachting industry should stay on the high road and walk tall with grace and elegance. We should protect the industry, its owners and hard-working crew by having some respect and discretion for the lifestyle that comes with being in the luxury yachting industry.

It's funny how this is happening now as just a few days ago the Engineer of the yacht I am on at the moment and I were just discussing this. I spent 10 years in the film industry as a producer and executive producer. I think the general consensus from yachting crew is that they think it will hurt the industry in general. Especially in regards of increasing the influx of backpackers and "travellers" that we already have who want to come and work in yachting. We certainly don't need any more of that.
However what I do feel would be tremendously successfull is if someone would write a pilot and scripts for a situation comedy (sitcom) about yachting. It could be made hilarious and true to life but emotional and entertaining. Sort of like Frasier meets the LoveBoat. it's an idea I have had for years and if I had the time and were still in the film industry I would definitely write it!!!

Very Bad Idea and as Kiwi Steve wrote, it will be like Groundhog Day with the same s**t over and over every day.They will never find true yacht crew as those would be the ones who have been fired for doing exactly what the Talent Agency is looking for. It will for sure leave a bad taste to owners or prospective owners who tune in to watch.

A really terrible idea that can only damage the image of our industry. In my opinion all reallity shows are for morons and people without a proper life anyway so why compound the problem by screening yet more drivel. As Adam says, our industry is one of discression and should be kept that way.

Serousley
What a stupid concept' a bunch of brainless American actors' for a start! Where most boats are multi national crew.
I know why not just get Mat Damon as the Captin and have done with it.
This sounds like it will have no grounding on reality' what go's on in this industry should stay under raps.
That's what we get payed for!
Even if we can party like no other industry.

Really, it is just a bit of fun. The industry is so serious & after 10 years within it, I think it would be hilarious to blow the lid on what really happens within the confines of a crew mess. Persoanlly I would never want to be a part of the show, but I could write scripts & real stories that would have people in stiches. Its about time we had a laugh at the hedonistic world of yachting & stop taking things so seriously. So long as there is no owners mentioned, what is the harm? Lighten up everyone. One point I will make though, is NO to the American crew, the true yachting culture is multi cultural, which is the added bonus of the laughs, dont make it cheesy, make it real.

Stop being so insecure..do you really feel that a TV show is going to affect you all personally. ..As for comments about ones carrer being 'ruined' since when as fame ruined anyone, it may change their lives but ruin it..

To help, I don't think it will... It's just going to give false idea to the people who don't have a clue what is our life on board (working hard !!)and surely, no good for the owners consideration.They just have started one here, in Spain, last week... Haven't seen it, of course, just the ad.
But I will have a look, by curiousity, sure it's going to be pathetic. Will keep you informed.

Did "Deadliest Catch" portray the people who live and work on Crab fishing boats in a terrible and negative light?
Did it ruin the careers of those fishermen?
I think the answer is that it showed who really was a good fisherman and who was not. For the good fishermen, it may have actually helped their careers. As for the bad ones, their true faces were exposed. Do you think they were afraid of young newbies coming and stealing their jobs? If they were, all the show did was deter these would be "greehorns" by portraying just how truely difficult, challenging, and dangerous their occupation can be and this may have deterred some of these hopefuls from making their way up to Alaska. "Deadliest Catch" is a great example of how to make a good reality TV show that portrays its characters positively and is interesting eventhough they have a monotonous job. Keep in mind, what is boring and mundane to us can be fascinating to outsiders.

You know what would make an awesome reality show? Guests swapping with the crew for a day!!!
Filming the daily lives of crew, however, will have to be very staged to be interesting, and as such, NOT reality. Defeating the purpose, no?

'Deadliest Catch' crew, even the newbies, are operating in the professional environment necessary to the working seaman where there is a heirarchy based on time of experience and proven seamanship.
Modern yachties (many, if not most) now seem more focused on their rights, their comforts and their social networking skills. Few now even know how to tie basic knots or handle actual maritime 'situations'.
A lot will depend on the crew. But if they hire from the usual mix of skateboarders, Visa card backpackers etc., focusing on the usual demand for more extreme characters, the show might be somewhat embarrassing to the the white boat 'industry'.
Looking forward to retirement even more now.

Its a bad idea, from concept to execution. The "Drama" will be required, while in the industry drama is the last thing any boat needs. Boycott it, or voice your opinion on findacrew.net who are helping promote it. Just goes to show how much they know about their subject.

I neither agree nor disagree with the whole 'reality yachtie TV show' but I agree with Bugaboo. Deadliest catch is a prime example of a successful reality show.
Even with everyone opposing it, Im sure you will all be watching it!! exactly what the producers are after, making it successful. It will be a laugh, some of it will be bulls**t and it may affect some of the crews futures in yachting. It may show that yachting is a busy/full on/exciting industry to be in, and if it does attract a huge influx of greenies, then we should all consider ourselves lucky that we are in the game already! Theres bigger issues out there surely

Amazing to see that there are people in this industry that think Dangerous catch has reality in it regarding crew behaviour, all these shows follow the same formula, only the location is real. As for one based on yachting, just what we need, more crew trying to get to the top by lying, cheating and disloyalty.

It will be like "Jersy Shore" Buff deckies, hot babe, stews all with crappy South African accents, and every one just getting in on and hung over, And a Skips on the rampage, with the bosses booze and credit card living the dream. it will be too funny!!!

For it to be anything like Deadliest Catch the directors would have to take on multiple charter yachts and film it in the same manor. The "catch" being which crew managed haul in the largest amount of tips etc. This would require real boats with real crews and real owners to be anywhere near reality...
I agree with the majority of the posts above. BAD idea... Please don't do it!

Regarding the "Deadliest Catch" reference I made. I didn't mean that this was an example of a "true" reality show or that the yachtie reality show needs to be like it to be good. I meant it as an example of a reality show set up on professional boats that does not take the piss or create unrealistic situations and is still watchable, interesting, and popular. If "Below Deck" will be anything like it then it could very well be a positive thing for the industry. I think many yachties see themselves and this industry as a big group of semi professional piss heads out to have a good time and make some money along the way and are afraid that now the rest of the world will see us for what we are. To all the concerned parties, if you are professional yachties then sign up for the show and protray the rest of us in a professional manner on the show. They can only film what the crew gives them. And no, I'm not going to do it.

My "Whale Wars" Reference to this show meant that it will probably be as unprofessional and assinine as those geniuses are ....its a bad idea. Its cant truely be done without some staging of a uber-high maintennace charter, a big-head for a captain, green novice crew and a few slappers running the interior...wait...maybe it can be done...

I think it is great it will expose how most captains are dispicable to the crew. How the chefs are closet drinkers and bingers. How the cheif stews are usually very messy and ugly to the other stews, how the realness of what is reeally happening in the industry. Of the two faced liers, the cheating husbands and wifes, the retention of mistrisses, the idoicy of the engineers, the segration of crew cliques, the rip offs from the owners, the real cheap tippers in nationalities, the predjudice towards ugly people, when they are capable....it is going to be JEW C!!!!! Cant wait!!!

Bad idea. And not because of the potential influx of future dockwalkers (I mean, really, who doesn't want our life?). It's bad for the industry period; people who wish to charter, owners & prospective owners will see this debacle. Surely there are the professional, straight arrow, silver service, epaulette-wearing, harmonious (dry) boats. But that doesn't make reality TV. They want the Mate stinking of booze and cigarettes the day after a big night who can't get out of bed. They want the Chef who licks his fingers while plating food. The Captain's bitchy girlfriend (aka Purser), the deckhand passed out during anchor watch, the Engineer with the huge porn collection under his mattress trying to boink the laundry girl. The Stew's doing the walk of shame. And my favorite - the Captain who is never around. Yeah - great idea! What - like this doesn't happen? There is no comparison between our industry and Deadliest Catch. The crabbers have nothing to hide. Furthermore, those Captains own their vessels and nobody else rents them for lavish vacations. And since when is Los Angeles a haven for yachting? The casting director, production company, et al are really going to know their yachting etiquette & protocol. Doubtful! It's all about the drama. Squash it now.

I wouldn't do it... It's the last thing this industry needs, and the last little spot of privacy we have... Wich is

to the outside. Bad idea in all aspects. It goes against yacht purpose from the start. Privacy, Exclusive, Luxury, not to be splashed on TV.... Not to mention the owners part ... (wich probably will not see the show anyway in my opinion)

Hamish buddy, if your that sensitive to open forum talk on this...i dont know how your gonna react on-screen when you and suzy the 2nd stew start making out for the first 4 episodes and then she starts bonin' the mate...but best of luck though.

I find it ridiculous how much people are overreacting about this so called reality show...there is no way it will even get aired, as previous posts have mentioned it will be incredibly boring television. People who are truly in this industry to make a professional career out of this will not even think twice about doing such a show, those who want to do the show are just trying to make a quick buck and land a job as they not qualified or experienced to gain employment on a professional boat... Hammish pull your head in yachtmaster should be the standard in the industry to gain a deckhands jobs it shows that you have experince and a limited amount of knowledge and a desire to further your knowledge. This show isnt giong to make it everyone needs to stop freaking out the show will be crap...

After reading all of these posts I guess I feel suddenly like this industry of ours is filled with cowards. Having been a stewardess for years I think that if I was afraid of some tv show making my job suddenly get taken from me by some young kid is stupid. And come on guys, we all know that every boat is full of fun and drama and brilliant antics by not only the charter guest and owners, but of the crew as well. What is everyone so scared of? that your owners will suddenly realize that on a day off we may use the jet skis and tenders for personal use? Do you actually think they don't know this already? The simple fact is, that this industry is full of really great professional people who work hard and also have fun when they get a rare moment off. its also filled with people who cheat on their spouses, and go to work a bit hung over, and sometimes snap at one another out of exhaustion. Hearing all of you guys bitch about this show makes me wonder if all the people in New Jersey are bitching about the kids on that show ruining their state forever. Come on, its just a tv show, and we all know that its not true. You are who you are, you do what you do- so why is a tv show so scary? If I wasn't as old as I am now I would have signed up in a heart beat and would not have been scared of my future job prospects. I for one hope it does happen with legitimate crew who will show this world for exactly what it is, the good and the bad. if anyone thinks that a reality tv show will actually hinder a millionaire from buying a yacht or a celebrity from chartering one, you're all crazy. and just as a thought- how many people that you've had on charter actually work in the tv industry? I can think of multiple celebs and tv execs that I have had on charter. it was bound to happen sooner or later, just relax and enjoy it for what it is- entertainment.

Honestly, I don't find issue with this at all. Everyone who watches any television at all knows how staged reality shows are. They still watch because train wrecks are mesmerizing.
I would assume that most of the people auditioning for this show (and there will be hundreds) are either looking for television exposure (not strong professionals in the field) or know that they're incompetent as crew and can't hold down a job for more than a short time. They understand that they might as well try something and possibly get a steady gig working on a boat afterwards due to some slight recognition as a short lived TV personality.
I don't see any harm in this series seeing the light. Boat owners KNOW what goes on on their vessels. They may not know the details but they understand that off hours, their crew are normal people with normal problems. True this will open some eyes (seeing as the drama will be exaggerated for television) but as long as crew keeps the perfection fantasy alive for the guests while they're on board, the owners/guests won't care about what is shown on the show.
As for newbies, there are more than enough around now. There are even scores of unemployed crew who are incompetent and can't hold down jobs who have been in the industry for years. Our crew just had to deal with a disaster of a stew candidate who stated she had 5 years experience but at closer inspection, her MASSIVE CV showed she only had around 17 months experience, losing/leaving jobs every few months. There's no fear in 'losing jobs' to these people because after a short period of time, they get fired or leave when they see the writing on the wall.
Just because new crew will find interest in the industry doesn't mean they'll take over the industry. It's still a difficult and skill intensive job (yes, even menial jobs have their standards) and the cream rises to the top. The crap floats too but people dodge around to keep from touching it. Of course there are vessels that look for supermodels first but if a boat is looking for someone like that they don't need a reality show to convince them.
The only possible problem I can see for the future is that crew agencies will be bombarded with unfamiliar and untrained staff and place them with a golden seal of approval. I only wish that the agencies would take a bit more responsibility when handing over seriously flawed and sometimes, unstable crew to unknowing Captains.
Maybe I'll start a new thread on that

Wow..this is actually happening, I'm docked in the same marina in St Maarten of the yacht cour de leone, which is hosting this tv reality show, from what is understood all but three of the crew are original crew, the rest have been hired for the show. Over hearing production crew and crew working onboard the yacht crew have been sent shots to the table on a night out and crew arriving to the yacht hungover have been targeted to follow to see how they work for the day. Having said all that, we watched 3 of the guests arrived today, the boat has changed its name to Honour for the purpose of filming. Yet can't help but feel the intention of the production crew is to show good tv and not a true reflection of how hard crew work on charter, we all let our hair down when the guests are off, but why on earth would you do it in front of a tv crew, these people must be mad or clearly no respect of the industry or no actual intention of pursuing a career within the industry. This programme is due to aired in August, on bravo and currently being filmed by never nominated productions LLC. Filming is apparently going to be from April onwards and will include 9 weeks of charter, with a suggested crew party at the end of each trip. Over hearing production crew on the radio, how is s**^%# doing since she arrived hungover, did we get a good shot, " oh she is doing well so far" " well if you see her hanging film it" obviously they want to show yachting in a professional light, honest! I wonder if they will include the footage of crashing into another yacht when arriving to the marina, or perhaps they will include the one where they run over the starboard marker when they left the marina this evening through the 5.30pm bridge. can't wait for the return this Wednesday...